


When You're Gone

by flitterflutterfly



Category: Naruto
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Angst with a Happy Ending, M/M, Out of Character
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-01-31
Updated: 2014-01-31
Packaged: 2018-01-10 16:02:30
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,547
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1161749
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/flitterflutterfly/pseuds/flitterflutterfly
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>His friends thought him blinded by love, but Naruto didn't care. So what if Sasuke would leave for days at a time without so much as a note explaining anything? It didn't matter, because he would always come back. Wouldn't he?</p>
            </blockquote>





	When You're Gone

**Author's Note:**

> This is so out of character it's not even funny.

"How long has it been this time?"

The question was spoken softly, but he heard it anyways. The blond-haired man looked up to meet the eyes of his worried, and somewhat angry, long time friend.

"Just a couple of weeks, Sakura," the man told her. He smiled brightly, though they both knew it was fake. "I'm sure he'll come home soon."

"Naruto, this isn't healthy." Sakura's voice had risen, her frustration apparent. "You can't do this anymore!"

"I'm twenty-three, Sakura. You can't tell me how to run my life." Naruto's voice, too, had gotten louder. He almost wanted to start shouting, but one look at the pink-haired woman's face made him reconsider.

It wasn't fair to take out his stress on Sakura. She was only trying to help, after all.

"I hope you know what you're doing." Sakura sighed, standing up from the café table. "I really hope he's worth it."

Naruto said nothing as she walked away. He was worth it, that was the obvious answer. He had to be worth it.

Naruto stood as well, paying for their coffees before heading outside into the cold January air. He pulled his bright orange coat closer to his body, watching his breath come out in puffs of white.

Before he knew it, he'd reached the door of his apartment. He unlocked it automatically, key warm in his frozen hand. He opened the door slowly.

"I'm home." He called out weakly.

No one answered.

Naruto took a deep breath, before stepping inside, closing the door behind him. He took off his shoes and walked mindlessly to the single bedroom.

The blond almost expected him to be waiting there on the bed, that far-off smile gracing his pale lips. Naruto knew that smile was just for him, even if he couldn't really know.

"Sasuke," Naruto groaned out, collapsing on the empty mattress.

Naruto inhaled the sheets. After almost three weeks, his smell had started to disappear. Without even realizing it, Naruto's mind started to drift back.

He'd met Sasuke at a bar. It was right after Hinata had broken up with him, crying and explaining that her father wouldn't ever approve. Naruto had tried to be understanding, and had still comforted the girl. But after she'd left, he had also broken down.

Naruto hadn't loved Hinata, not like he thought he could, but they had been comfortable together. He wasn't sure if he'd be able to find that comfortableness again—at least as easily as it had happened for them.

He'd gone to the bar in hopes of drowning him sorrows in beer and perhaps a good one-night stand.

What he'd found wasn't just a one-night stand.

Sasuke had been sitting at the end of the bar counter, and the only available seat had been right next to him. Naruto had plopped down onto it, and somehow they'd gotten to talking.

Naruto's first impression hadn't been the best. After all, one of the first word that had come out of the raven-haired man's mouth had been "idiot". But still, he'd drowned in those endlessly dark eyes.

Before he'd realized it, Naruto had come back to that bar every night, hoping to see the other. Sasuke hadn't always been there, of course. At one point, he hadn't showed up for an entire month.

When Naruto had confronted him about it, anger showing clearly, the other man had looked at him, really looked at him, and asked why Naruto cared so much.

Naruto hadn't answered that night, but it'd made him think. By the time he'd figured it out, it had already been too late.

He'd fallen in love with the bastard.

After that, their relationship had progressed quickly. Too quickly, many of his friends had said, and still said. But Naruto didn't care.

All that mattered was Sasuke.

He'd lived in a rose-colored world. They'd moved into an apartment together and had found a semblance of a happy life. Until the first time Sasuke had disappeared. He'd only been gone for six days, but by the time he'd returned, Naruto had become a complete wreck.

Sasuke hadn't explain, though Naruto had begged and pleaded him to. He'd just kissed him and called him—affectionately—an idiot. Naruto had let him sweep them into passion, tears still leaking down him cheeks as they came together.

He never asked again.

And so, here he was. Lying on his—their—bed. Alone.

Naruto closed his eyes and willed the tears behind his eyelids to go away. He let sleep overcome him.

Naruto awoke with a start. It took him a second to realize there were voices coming from his living room. He got out of bed, groaning that he'd fallen asleep in his clothes, and ventured toward the noise.

The sight that greeted him was unfamiliar. Two men sat talking on his couch. Both wore all black. Naruto recognized neither of them.

"How did you get into my apartment?" Naruto blurted out. His befuzzled mind trying to remember if he'd locked the door or not.

Sakura always did say his lack of thinking things through would get him into trouble one day. Naruto gulped as two sets of eyes turned on him.

"Ah, you've woken." The guy on the right, whose face was half-covered by a mask, said.

Naruto blinked. "Who are you?" he tried again.

The masked-man chuckled. "Oh, sorry. Let us introduce ourselves. You can call me Kakashi. This here-" He gestured to the man besides him, "-is Sai."

Naruto's eyebrows furrowed. "My name is—"

"Naruto Uzumaki, age twenty-three. Currently working as an editor and agent for the famous author, Jiraiya Sanin." The younger male, Sai, interrupted him.

"I do love Jiraiya's works." It looked like Kakashi was smiling, but Naruto couldn't be too sure.

"How…" Naruto shook his head. "Can one of you explain what's going on?"

Kakashi's face suddenly adopted a serious look. "You may want to sit down, Naruto."

Naruto obeyed quickly, taking an armchair across from the couch. Once he was seated, Sai began.

"What is your relationship with Sasuke Uchiha?" He asked without preamble.

Naruto licked his lips, nervous. "He, we…"

"Perhaps it would be better if we told you a bit more before you answer that question," Kakashi gently stopped him. "Sasuke was part of an elite task force working for the government. I cannot give you the details, but I can tell you that he was a worthy team member. He saved my life many times."

"What do you mean 'was'?" Naruto bit out, his mind storing the information for later contemplation.

It wasn't like he hadn't guessed something like that already. It was better than the alternatives.

"Sasuke was hurt on his last mission." That was Sai. "He is in a state of comatose. Even if he were to recover, it is doubtful that he would be able to continue his current line of duty."

"Sasuke's in a coma?" Naruto tensed in shock.

"We came to you because of his letter." Kakashi told him. "Because our job is a dangerous one, we always write a letter before each mission. A will, if you will. It is to be read if the agent is severely injured or killed."

"Sasuke will be okay, right?" Naruto didn't even care what the silver-haired man was saying. As long as Sasuke was okay.

"In his letter, his only line, was 'Don't let Naruto grieve too much'." Kakashi ignored the question. "Of course, we had a hard time figuring out who 'Naruto' was. Sasuke made sure you were protected. Luckily, we did manage to find you, it seems."

Naruto clenched his fists. "I don't fucking care, just please tell me if Sasuke will be okay!"

Their silence was all he needed to know.

"We're sorry for your loss." Sai interjected smoothly. "But he wanted you to be happy. His letter said so."

Naruto's head was spinning. "Just go." He stood from the armchair. "Please, just go." And escaped into the bedroom.

o.o

Naruto sat on the couch, staring blankly at the wall. His answering machine beeped with messages, but he didn't bother checking them.

Sasuke was gone, and this time he wouldn't be coming back.

Naruto was suddenly wracked with a fresh batch of tears. He let them out, sobbing.

"Sasuke," he muttered. "Why did you have to leave me?"

"I told them not to let you grieve too much. I guess they couldn't even do that."

Naruto's head shot up, his eyes widening. Through the tears, he saw Sasuke, standing at their door with that smile on his face. That smile only for him.

"Sasuke," Naruto whispered, hoping he wasn't hallucinating, praying this was real.

Sasuke approached him and wiped a single teardrop away with his thumb. "Idiot."

That was all it took for Naruto to throw himself on the other, clinging to him for his life. "Sasuke, Sasuke," he mumbled over and over.

"Shh, it's okay," Sasuke spoke softly into his ear, holding him. "I'm here."

As Naruto's sobs subsided, he drew back just enough to see the face of the man he loved with all his heart.

"Don't ever leave me again." Naruto's blue eyes shone with his strength, and his weakness. "I won't let you leave me."

Sasuke leaned down. "I'm not going anywhere."


End file.
